Strengthening Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Research Training in Kenya is an application linked to the Programmatic grant of the Partnership for Innovative Medical Education in Kenya (PRIME Kenya). The overarching aim of this Linked Award is to establish a Collaborative Center of Excellence in Maternal, Newborn, & Child Health (MNCH) at the University of Nairobi (UON) which will build research capacity and provide outstanding training in implementation science and applied research, health metrics and evaluation, and program leadership relevant to achieving Kenya's health development goals. This will be done in collaboration with the University of Washington through the following specific aims: AIM 1. To build capacity to conduct multidisciplinary implementation science research that translates into policy and practice, a training program consisting of short-, medium- and long-term training will be implemented for medical faculty and post-graduates in Pediatrics, Obstetrics/Gynecology and Community Health. Training in applied research methods and health metrics will be coupled with integrated MNCH clinical and program management training in order to optimize delivery of appropriate, high-impact services to women, infants and children in Kenya. AIM 2. To promote implementation science research that strengthens MNCH efforts at the community level in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the UON COE will provide opportunities for teams of medical faculty and/or post-graduates from at least two different disciplines to compete for MNCH projects based at decentralized clinical training sites supported by the UON-UW mentorship program and, facility and community-based data collection and evaluation systems developed through the PRIME-Kenya programmatic award. AIM 3. To enhance MNCH program leadership capacity and build bridges between the UON and the Kenya Ministries of Health (MOH) programs in MNCH, the UON COE will collaborate with the Afya Bora Consortium to offer an 9-month fellowship and a 5-week certificate program in leadership, public health policy, program management, monitoring and evaluation and relevant research methodology that utilizes participatory learning, extended field visits and attachments. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Increased capacity for implementation science research in MNCH at the UON will produce graduates with increased ability to translate known interventions into practice. Opportunities for implementation research will contribute to retention of faculty as they launch independent research careers. Training in program leadership will lay a foundation for grooming future leaders in academic and Ministry of Health programs. Overall the MNCH health indicators will improve following these strategies.